Store
La Rasina ‘Rosso Di Montalcino’ Sangiovese
2007
Sangiovese
Bold
Italy
Pork
share page
Tell a friend! We'll send your friends the page and your message.
Note: You and your friend's email addresses are only used once as a referral. We will not collect or store the email addresses.
Montalcino is a hilltop town in Tuscany's Brunello district, which makes the finest Sangiovese in the world. Rosso di Montalcino is often called "baby Brunello" because it is made from grapes grown in the same area as Brunello. But Brunello is typically aged for about three years in oak and another year in bottle prior to release. In contrast, Rosso di Montalcino is usually aged for 6 months to a year in oak and another year in bottle, making it less woody and easier to drink when young.
Sangiovese's brisk acidity makes it a great wine with a variety of foods, but it is best with grilled meats like steak, pork or lamb, particularly when they are seasoned with olive oil, dried herbs and sea salt. It also works well with salty, dry cheeses and can balance the acidity of tomatoes, which clash with many reds.
La Rasina is a family-owned estate that was started by Santi Mantengoli in the early 1970s on the prime hillsides of Montalcino. Today it is run by Santi's grandson, Marco Mantengoli, who works with enologist Paolo Caciorgna to craft modern wines with clean lines and concentrated fruit. This wine comes exclusively from the winery's own 25 acres of vines and is estate bottled.
The Rosso di Montalcino has plenty of Tuscan terroir in its intense black cherry, dried flower, graphite, rosemary and toasted almond aromas. It has flavors of silky cherry fruit laced with notes of lavender, cocoa, bergamot and juniper. The wine finishes with moderate tannin, nice acidity and a twist of astringency that's very typical of Sangiovese. If possible, decant this young wine for an hour before serving.